Panelizing machine and method for use

Abstract

A panelizing machine assembly for clamping elongated structures such as tubes at spaced intervals and then welding the structures. The machine includes an elongated main frame having connecting cross members, and provided with at least two bed plates each having a plurality of notches on their upper side, and at least two carriage structures which are self-supporting and longitudinally movable on the main frame. Each carriage is equipped with at least one contoured clamping plate which is vertically movable by pressurized piston means and have notches on their lower sides adapted for clamping the tubes onto the bed plates prior to the welding operations. Each carriage is independently movable along the main frame on rollers engaging rails attached to the elongated frame, and carriage movement is electrically controlled by photoelectric cells and brakes for accurate positioning, and operate in cooperation with a welding robot attached to the upper part of the central movable carriage. The invention also includes a method for operation of the panelizing machine to perform programmed longitudinal welding operations on elongated structures such as tubes to produce monolithic welded tubular panels.

I claim: 
     
       1. A panelizing machine for clamping and welding a plurality of elongated structures, the machine comprising: (a) an elongated main frame including dual elongated parallel frame members and at least two connecting cross members, each frame member being provided with a rail extending along an upper side of the frame member;   (b) at least two bed plates extending transversely across said main frame and spaced apart from each other, each said bed plate being supported by one of said cross members and each having a plurality of notches provided on the plate upper side, and adapted for receiving a plurality of elongated structures in the notches;   (c) at least two carriages extending transversely across said main frame, said carriage being supported by said rails and being longitudinally movable along the main frame on the rails;   (d) at least one vertically movable contoured clamping plate provided within each said carriage, each said clamping plate being attached on its upper side to a pressurizable piston means, and having a plurality of notches provided on the plate lower side in vertical alignment with the notches provided on the upper side of each said bed plate, and adapted for clamping and retaining a plurality of the elongated structures onto the main frame; and   (e) a welding device mounted on the upper portion of one said carriage, said welding device being adapted to be positioned for performing a welding operation on the clamped elongated structures.   
     
     
       2. A panelizing machine according to claim 1, wherein each carriage includes an end plate located at each end, each end plate having an extension portion which contacts a lower side of the main frame when clamping the structural elements. 
     
     
       3. A panelizing machine according to claim 1, wherein each said carriage is supported and longitudinally movable along said rails by dual rollers provided at each end of the carriage for running on each rail provided on each said frame member. 
     
     
       4. A panelizing machine according to claim 1, wherein each said contoured clamping plate is vertically movable by a pressurizable piston means attached to the upper edge of the clamping plate. 
     
     
       5. A panelizing machine according to claim 1, wherein three carriages are provided on said main frame, the central carriage having the welding robot unit attached to an upper portion of the carriage and adapted for making welds on the elongated structures, with the two other carriages being used for accurately clamping the elongated structures to the bed plates during the welding on the elongated structures. 
     
     
       6. A panelizing machine according to claim 3, wherein the rollers at one end of said carriage are V-shaped and run along a V-shaped rail provided on one said main member, the rollers on the carriage other end being flat rollers running on a flat rail attached to the other frame member. 
     
     
       7. The panelizing machine according to claim 2, wherein each carriage has an electric motor and drive gear unit attached to each end plate for moving the carriage along the rails. 
     
     
       8. A panelizing machine according to claim 7, wherein each said carriage is provided with braking means for accurately positioning the carriage along the main frame. 
     
     
       9. A panelizing machine according to claim 2, wherein each said carriage is spaced apart from each other by proximity sensors provided on the carriage. 
     
     
       10. A panelizing machine for clamping and welding a plurality of elongated structures, the machine comprising: (a) an elongated main frame including dual elongated parallel frame members and at least two connecting cross members, each frame member being provided with a rail extending along the upper side of the frame member;   (b) at least three bed plates extending transversely across said main frame and spaced apart from each other, each said bed plate being supported by one of said cross members and each bed plate having a plurality of notches provided on the plate upper side, and adapted for receiving a plurality of elongated tubular structures in the notches;   (c) three carriages extending transversely across and supported by said main frame, each said carriage having dual end plates which have extension portions adapted to extend below the frame members and being longitudinally movable along the main frame by rollers running on said rails; and   (d) at least two vertically movable contoured clamping plates provided within each said carriage, each said clamping plate being attached on its upper side to a pressurizable hydraulic piston means, and having a plurality of notches provided on the plate lower side in vertical alignment with the notches provided on the upper side of each said bed plate, and adapted for clamping and retaining a plurality of elongated tubular structures onto the main frame; and   (e) a robot welding device mounted on the upper portion of the central of said carriages, said welding device being adapted to be positioned for making a plurality of spaced apart welds on the clamped tubular structures.   
     
     
       11. A method for producing elongated welded panels including the steps of: (a) placing a plurality of elongated structures in parallel alignment onto an elongated clamping frame having at least two spaced-apart bed plate support members;   (b) clamping the elongated structures to the bed plate support members at least two longitudinally spaced locations by a horizontally and vertically movable upper clamping plate descending onto the elongated structures at each said location, the clamping plates being mounted in a carriage longitudinally movable on the clamping frame;   (c) welding the adjacent elongated structures together at longitudinally spaced intervals over at least a portion of their length by utilizing a welding device mounted on one of the carriages; and   (d) unclamping the elongated structures and moving the welding carriage to a new location on the clamping frame, then reclamping the elongated structures and again welding them together at longitudinal spaced intervals along their length, so as to produce an elongated welded panel structure.   
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11, wherein the elongated structures are clamped onto the clamping frames at three locations by three said carriages including an intermediate carriage and a trailing carriage, and the structures are welded by the robot welding device mounted on the intermediate carriage. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12, wherein the clamping carriages are longitudinally spaced apart from each other by 2-10 feet, and the intermediate carriage is moved forward after the trailing carriage is moved forward. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 11, wherein the elongated parallel structures are clamped at intervals of 3-5 feet using a force of 2000-10,000 lbs. applied on a set of four adjacent said structures. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 11, wherein the elongated parallel structures are tubes which each have oppositely oriented fins, and the adjacent fins are stitch welded together at spaced intervals. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 11, wherein the intermittent welding is performed using inert gas metal arc welding procedures. 
     
     
       17. A method for producing elongated welded panels, including the steps of: (a) placing a plurality of elongated structures in parallel alignment onto an elongated clamping frame having at least three spaced-apart bed palte support members;   (b) clamping the elongated structures to the bed plate support members at three longitudinally spaced-apart locations by a horizontally and vertically movable upper clamping plate descending onto the elongated structures at each said location, the clamping plates being mounted in a carriage longitudinally movable on the clamping frame;   (c) welding the adjacent elongated structures together at longitudinally spaced intervals over at least a portion of their length by utilizing a welding device mounted on the intermediate of said carriages; and   (d) unclamping the elongated structures and moving the welding carriage forward by 2-10 feet to another location on the clamping frame, then reclamping the elongated structures and again welding them together at spaced intervals along their length, so as to produce an elongated welded panel structure.